South Pasadena Municipal Code Art. III Unreinforced Masonry Building Signage Requirements

Chapter 96 of Title 26 (Building Code) of the Los Angeles County Code is hereby adopted by reference pursuant to the provisions of Sections 50022.1 through 50022.10 of the Government Code of the state of California as though fully set forth herein and made a part of the South Pasadena Municipal Code with the same force and effect as though set out in full, including all of the regulations, revisions, conditions and terms contained therein, except that those certain sections thereof which are necessary to meet local conditions as hereinafter set forth in SPMC 9.31, as hereinafter added or amended to read as set forth therein.

In accordance with Section 50022.6 of the California Government Code, not less than one copy of said Los Angeles County Code Chapter 96 of Title 26 (Building Code) together with any and all amendments thereto proposed by the city, has been and is now filed in the office of the community development department, shall remain on file with the building official. (Ord. No. 2407, § 17, 2025.)

Chapter 96 of Title 26, Los Angeles County Building Code is amended as follows:

1. Section 9605.1 is amended in its entirety to read:

The owner of each building within the scope of the 2023 Los Angeles County Building Code Chapter 96 shall, upon receipt of a Service Order and within the time limits set forth in this Ordinance, cause a structural analysis to be made of the building by a licensed civil engineer or architect. If the building does not comply with standards specified in this Chapter and Existing Building Code Appendix Chapter A1 of Part 10, Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations, then the owner shall cause the building to be structurally altered to conform to such standards or shall cause the building to be demolished.

No person shall make any exterior modification or demolish any structure listed on the City’s Inventory of Cultural Resources without prior review by the Cultural Heritage Commission and issuance of a Certificate of Appropriateness pursuant to South Pasadena Municipal Code Section 2.64 or any successor regulation.

Where a Certificate of Appropriateness is required, no plans may be submitted to the Building Division for plan review, and no permits shall be issued for covered work without the required Certificate of Appropriateness.

1. Compliance by Alteration. Where the building owner intends to comply by structural alteration of the building found to be within the scope of this Ordinance, the owner shall complete the structural alteration work in accordance with the following time limits:

a. i) Within 120 calendar days of receipt of the Service Order, the building owner is required to provide documentation to the City from a California registered civil or structural engineer or licensed architect that their building is not an unreinforced masonry bearing wall building subject to the requirements of this Ordinance; or

a. ii) Within 120 calendar days of receipt of the Service Order, the building owner is required to select and contract with a California registered civil or structural engineer or licensed architect to prepare structural alteration plan in compliance with Chapter 96;

b. Within twelve (12) calendar months after service of the order, the building owner is required to submit plans to the Planning and Building Department for building plan check review of the proposed structural alteration work;

c. Within eighteen (18) months of receipt of the Service Order, the building owner is to obtain plan check approval of the structural alteration work that is to be performed;

• d. Within twenty-one (21) months of receipt of the Service Order, the building owner is to obtain a permit and commence construction of the structural alteration work;

• e. Within thirty (30) months of receipt of the Service Order, the building owner is to complete the structural alteration work, and to have the permit finaled by the Community Development Department.

2. Compliance by Demolition. Where the building owner intends to comply with the requirements of this ordinance by demolition, the owner shall comply with the following time limits:

a. i) Within 180 calendar days of receipt of the Service Order, the building owner is required to provide documentation to the City from a California registered civil or structural engineer that their building is not an unreinforced masonry bearing wall building subject to the requirements of this Ordinance; or

a. ii) Within 180 days of receipt of the Service Order, notify the City of the intent to demolish the building, submit all required applications and pay all required fees associated with a request to demolish the building;

b. Within twelve (12) calendar months of receipt of the Service Order, obtain a demolition permit and commence demolition;

• c. Within eighteen (18) calendar months of receipt of the Service Order, complete the demolition work.

2. Section 9605.2 is deleted in its entirety.

3. Section 9606.1 is amended in its entirety to read:

The Building Official shall issue an order as provided in this Section to the owner of each building within the scope of Chapter 96 of the Building Code.

4. Section 9606.2 is deleted in its entirety.

5. Section 9606.10 is amended in its entirety to read:

9606.10 (Other abatement procedures) The City shall have the unrestricted ability to enforce compliance with this ordinance by any means prescribed by the South Pasadena Municipal Code, the Building Code or other laws including, but not limited to, ordering the building vacated, termination of all utilities, and/or nuisance abatement including civil and/or criminal prosecution.

6. Table 96-B (Time Limits for Compliance) is deleted in its entirety.

7. Table 96-C (Extensions of Time and Service Priorities) is deleted in its entirety.

8. Section 9903.2 is amended to read:

For the purposes of this Section, an unreasonable period of time shall be defined as eighteen (18) months for residential construction or construction located in a Residential Zone, and thirty-six (36) months for all other construction. For the purpose of the Section, residential construction shall also include detached garages and similar accessory structures that serve a residential structure or are located within a Residential Zone.

(Ord. No. 2407, § 18, 2025.)

The signage specified by Section 8875.8 of the California Government Code shall be installed at each exterior public, private, or employee entrance to the unreinforced masonry building. The signs shall be posted at a height of 75 to 85 inches above the walking surface on the exterior side of the door, and unless otherwise approved in writing by the director of planning and building, the signs shall be mounted either on the door or within 18 inches of the door jamb on either the swing or strike side of the door. (Ord. No. 2308, § 2, 2016.)